1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for an audio level information recording/management in a digital audio system.
2. Background of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a digital audio system 100, for example, an MP3 player, has a recording medium 10, a decoder 11, an audio amplifier 12, a microcomputer 13 and an interface 14. The recording medium 10 may be, for example, a flash memory capable of storing MP3 audio files, an optical disk, a hard disk or memory. Each of the MP3 audio files generally includes audio data, and tag information containing various additional information about the audio data, such as music title information Title_Info, singer name information Singer_Info, etc.
The digital audio system 100 can connect with a personal computer (PC) 200 via the interface 14. In response to a user's request, the microcomputer 13 downloads various MP3 audio files provided from the PC 200 or a content provider (CP) server 400 connected via the Internet 300 or the like and stores the downloaded audio files in the recording medium 10. The microcomputer 13 also can search a plurality of MP3 audio files stored in the recording medium 10 for an MP3 audio file whose playback is requested by a user and play the searched MP3 audio file. At this time, the microcomputer 13 adjusts the gain of the audio amplifier 12 based on an audio volume level set by the user to adjust the output level of audio data to be reproduced.
However, as described above, the related art digital audio system and method have various disadvantages. For example, the output levels of audio data to be reproduced of respective MP3 audio files, downloaded from the PC 200 or CP server 400 and stored in the recording medium 10, may be different because of audio recording levels, etc. of the audio files, which were set in the creation, edition or recording processes thereof. As shown in FIG. 2, the user may sequentially play a plurality of exemplary audio files Audio File #1, Audio File #2 and Audio File #3 stored in the recording medium 10 under the condition of adjusting the audio volume level to a value appropriate to the output level of the first audio file (e.g., Audio File #1). In this case, the output levels of the second audio file and third audio file played successively subsequently to the first audio file may be different from that of the first audio file because of their audio recording levels, etc. set in their creation, edition or recording processes. Accordingly, the user has to adjust the audio volume level again.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.